Michigan State University Athletics
A.J. Achter Signs With Minnesota Twins
8/17/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Aug. 17, 2010
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State right-handed pitcher A.J. Achter, who was selected in the 46th-round of the Major League Baseball Draft by Minnesota in June, has signed a professional contact with the Twins and will forgo his final season of eligibility for the Spartans. Achter signed on Monday, Aug. 16, just prior to the midnight deadline established by MLB for amateurs to sign or wait until next year's draft.
"I wouldn't be in this position if it wasn't for all the help that my coaches and teammates gave me at Michigan State," said Achter. "Playing at MSU led me to the path of pursuing my dream of playing professional baseball. I want to thank everyone for the opportunities I was given in East Lansing - I wouldn't trade my experiences at Michigan State for anything. The program is definitely in the right hands with Coach (Jake) Boss and his staff. He runs a program the right way, and I'm glad I had the experience of playing for him.
"It was a difficult decision to make and I'm sad I won't be able to play my senior year, but with the support of my family and coaches, I felt like this was the best thing to do to fulfill my dream of playing baseball professionally."
Achter garnered the Robin Roberts Most Valuable Pitcher honor last season after his first year as the team's No. 1 starter in which he ranked fourth in the Big Ten with 74 strikeouts. The 6-5, 215-pound junior led the Spartan starting pitchers in 2010 with a 4.20 ERA in 14 starts, and his 98.2 innings pitched rank second, behind only Bryan Gale (100, 2002), on the MSU single-season list. His 4-4 record included consecutive shutouts wins over Notre Dame and Oakland.
After his successful spring season, Achter continued to excel over the summer in the prestigious Cape Cod League. Pitching for the league champion Cotuit Kettleers, Achter finished with the fifth-lowest ERA in the league at 1.42, allowing just six earned runs in 38.0 innings of work. He compiled 31 strikeouts against 14 walks and collected a 2-2 record while pitching primarily out of relief.
"This summer, I really felt like I put everything together and just relaxed," said Achter. "Pitching in the Cape Cod League helped me realize I can compete against the best players in the country."
Named a Cape Cod League All-Star, Achter pitched a scoreless inning for the Western team in the all-star game on July 28, which was played before a crowd of more than 10,000 fans at Fenway Park.
"Playing at Fenway Park was an unbelievable experience," he said. "Who knows where my career will take me, but I can always say I pitched in Fenway under the lights. Coming out of the bullpen for the seventh-inning stretch, I had goosebumps. I really had to take a deep breath out there, and it's a moment I'll never forget."
Achter will head to the Elizabethton (Tenn.) Twins of the rookie-level Appalachian League this week for the remainder of the short season. He will participate in the Fall Instructional League for the Twins following the regular season.
